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Billing code 27557: Knee dislocationMedicare rate & RVUs

Open surgery for tibiofemoral knee dislocation with repair of noncruciate ligament structures, reported when operative reduction and ligament repair are performed.

CMS RVU26DEffective Oct 1, 2026109 payment localities17 Medicare services in 2024

Medicare pays $943.24 for 27557 nationally in a facility.

Medicare rate · 27557

Knee dislocation

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work RVUs
15.5
Total RVUs
28.24
Global days
090

National rate · 2026

$943.24

Facility setting, before claim adjustments.

See every locality for 27557 → · Billed by an NP, PA or therapist? →

Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.

On this page 10 sections
  1. Medicare rate
  2. What 27557 covers
  3. By payment locality
  4. Rate map
  5. How it’s calculated
  6. Payment rules
  7. Similar codes
  8. Related codes
  9. Billing questions
  10. Sources

What 27557 covers

This code covers open treatment of a tibiofemoral knee dislocation when the surgeon repairs ligamentous structures other than the cruciate ligaments. Orthopedic surgeons typically perform the operation in a hospital operating room for a major injury with persistent joint instability or associated ligament damage. Internal fixation is included when used as part of the treatment. This is not a code for a dislocated kneecap.

Select this level when the operative record supports open treatment and ligament repair but does not document repair of cruciate ligament(s); cruciate repair points to a different level in this code family. Document the dislocation, operative approach, repaired structures, and any fixation. CMS assigns a 90-day global period, including the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care. When multiple procedures occur in one session, the highest-valued procedure is paid in full and other procedures are subject to the standard 50% reduction. For bilateral treatment, modifier 50 is paid at 150%. An assistant at surgery may be paid; co-surgeons require supporting documentation, and team surgery is not permitted.

This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.

Where 27557 pays more and less

The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.

109 of 109 payment localities

27557 office and facility rates by payment locality
Payment localityOfficeFacility
AlabamaUnavailable$855.89
Alaska*Unavailable$1,172.93
ArizonaUnavailable$917.56
ArkansasUnavailable$845.21
AtlantaUnavailable$972.06
AustinUnavailable$949.94
BakersfieldUnavailable$940.09
Baltimore/Surr. CntysUnavailable$1,000.72
BeaumontUnavailable$907.04
BrazoriaUnavailable$920.23

27557 rates by state

Office rate range in each state. Select a state to see its payment localities.

MEWIVTNHMTNDMNMINYMARIWAIDWYSDIAILINOHPANJCTORNVUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDECAAZNMKSOKARTNNCSCDCTXLAMSALGAFLAKHI

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Local rates. Clear comparisons.

Hover or focus a tile to see its rate range. Select it to open the state’s fee schedule.

View every state and territory as a table
27557 office rate range by state
State / territoryOffice rate rangeLocalities
AKNo published base rate1
ALNo published base rate1
ARNo published base rate1
AZNo published base rate1
CANo published base rate29
CONo published base rate1
CTNo published base rate1
DCNo published base rate1
DENo published base rate1
FLNo published base rate3
GANo published base rate2
GUNo published base rate1
HINo published base rate1
IANo published base rate1
IDNo published base rate1
ILNo published base rate4
INNo published base rate1
KSNo published base rate1
KYNo published base rate1
LANo published base rate2
MANo published base rate2
MDNo published base rate3
MENo published base rate2
MINo published base rate2
MNNo published base rate1
MONo published base rate3
MSNo published base rate1
MTNo published base rate1
NCNo published base rate1
NDNo published base rate1
NENo published base rate1
NHNo published base rate1
NJNo published base rate2
NMNo published base rate1
NVNo published base rate1
NYNo published base rate5
OHNo published base rate1
OKNo published base rate1
ORNo published base rate2
PANo published base rate2
PRNo published base rate1
RINo published base rate1
SCNo published base rate1
SDNo published base rate1
TNNo published base rate1
TXNo published base rate8
UTNo published base rate1
VANo published base rate2
VINo published base rate1
VTNo published base rate1
WANo published base rate2
WINo published base rate1
WVNo published base rate1
WYNo published base rate1

How the 27557 rate is calculated

Each of 27557’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.

How the rate is built · 27557

RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

Work 15.50Practice expense 9.43Malpractice 3.31

28.2400 adjusted RVUs×$33.4009 conversion factor=$943.24

All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.

Payment rules and modifiers for 27557

27557 has a 90-day global period: related visits in that window are included in the surgery payment.

CMS payment indicators · 27557

Knee dislocation

RuleCMS valueWhat it means
Global period090Major surgery: the day before, the day of, and 90 days after are included.
Multiple procedures2Standard reduction: highest-valued procedure at 100%, others at 50%.
Bilateral (modifier 50)1Bilateral with modifier 50 pays 150% of the fee schedule amount.
Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS)2Paid.
Co-surgeons (62)1Permitted with supporting documentation.
Team surgery (66)0Not permitted.
Professional/technical0Physician service: no professional/technical split.
Split (54/55/56)0.10/0.69/0.21Share of the payment for pre-op, the procedure itself, and post-op care.

Global surgery period · 27557

Knee dislocation

90-day global period ends

Dec 30, 2026

Covers Sep 30, 2026 through Dec 30, 2026 (92 days, including the day before surgery).

Visit on Oct 31, 2026

Day 30 of the 90-day post-op period: related follow-up care is included in the surgical payment.

  • 24 Unrelated E/M visit by the same physician
  • 79 Unrelated procedure (starts its own global period)
  • 58 Staged, more extensive, or therapy procedure that was planned
  • 78 Unplanned return to the operating room for a related complication
SurgeryVisit
Sep 23, 2026Jan 10, 2027

Pre-op dayGlobal period

What modifiers do to the payment

Modifier 50 · payment effect

With and without the modifier

27557 without 50 · national facility

$943.24

Knee dislocation

27557-50 · Bilateral: 150%

$1,414.86

Both sides on one line with modifier 50 are paid at 150% of the fee schedule amount (subject to multiple-procedure rules with other procedures).

When to use modifier 50

27557 compared with similar codes

Compare codes

27557 vs 27556 vs 27558 vs 27552 vs 27560: national Medicare rates

Swap in your local Medicare rate.

  • 27557
    Knee dislocation · 15.5 wRVU
    —
  • 27556
    Knee dislocation · 12.68 wRVU
    —
  • 27558
    Knee dislocation repair · 17.93 wRVU
    —
  • 27552
    Knee reduction · 7.98 wRVU
    —
  • 27560
    Patellar dislocation · 3.89 wRVU
    $466.61

How to choose

27556Knee dislocation
Choose 27556 for open knee dislocation treatment without ligament repair. Choose 27557 when ligamentous structures are repaired, excluding cruciate repair.
27558Knee dislocation repair
Choose 27558 when treatment includes repair of cruciate ligament(s); 27557 applies when ligament repair does not include the cruciates.
27552Knee reduction
This is closed treatment of a knee dislocation under anesthesia. Code 27557 describes open treatment with ligament repair.
27560Patellar dislocation
Code 27560 concerns a dislocated patella, not a tibiofemoral knee dislocation requiring open ligament repair.

Codes related to 27557

Related codes aren’t interchangeable: bill the code that matches the service performed.

Codes related to 27557
CodeHow it relatesNational office range
Same family
27556Knee dislocationOpen knee dislocation treatment without the ligament repair represented by 27557.No office rate
27558Knee dislocation repairOpen knee dislocation treatment with ligament repair that includes cruciate ligament(s).No office rate
Used instead
27552Knee reductionClosed knee dislocation treatment under anesthesia rather than open treatment with ligament repair.No office rate

27557 billing questions

How does this differ from 27556?

Use 27557 when open treatment includes repair of ligamentous structures. Code 27556 describes open treatment without that ligament repair.

When is 27558 a better fit?

Use 27558 when the open knee dislocation treatment includes repair of cruciate ligament(s). Code 27557 is for ligament repair that does not include cruciate repair.

Does the code include internal fixation?

Internal fixation is included when used as part of the open treatment. The operative note should identify the dislocation treatment and repaired ligament structures.

Can modifier 50 be used for both knees?

CMS identifies this as a bilateral procedure; modifier 50 is paid at 150% when both sides are treated.

What postoperative care is included?

The 90-day global period includes the day-before preoperative visit and 90 days of related postoperative care.

Where these rates come from

FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.

CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027

Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
RVUs for 27557PPRRVU2026_Oct_nonQPP.csv, line 2,948 (RVU26D)

Open CMS sourceHow we calculate rates

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